Manchester City return almost a third of away tickets to Arsenal clash

By Jay Jaffa

Many of the Premier League champions' fans have refused to take the £62 tickets for Sunday's match at the Emirates, leaving a City spokesman to label top clubs "out of touch"

Manchester City have returned almost a third of their away allocation ahead of the club's Premier League clash with Arsenal this Sunday, as supporters refuse to stump up £62 for tickets.

The match, which is also being broadcast live on Sky Sports at 4pm this weekend, comes in the Category A bracket and is therefore given the highest ticket cost for Arsenal's league games.

City were given a 3000 ticket allocation for the match, but have returned 912, leading some to bemoan the “out of touch” relationship between clubs and supporters.

The general secretary of the Manchester City Supporters Club, Kevin Parker told The Guardian: "It's the most expensive amount I can ever remember paying for a ticket in my life, for a Sunday afternoon game which is live on satellite television.

"And it's not as if finding a television to watch the game on is difficult nowadays. Even if the game wasn't live, to charge £62 to watch it is ridiculous, but to charge that amount when people can see it live on TV is crazy.

"It just shows that football clubs are out of touch with reality. If City supporters are travelling on a supporters' club coach it will cost £30 per person. That's £92 before they have even done anything; add in a programme, food, drink and you are looking at £125-£130 per person.

"There are a combination of things at play here. Some people cannot afford the price, especially as it is just after Christmas, and there are some who just refuse to pay £62. This is also the first time in a long while that I remember City fans saying to me they could pay the money but are refusing to do so.

“That is a brave decision to take. Soon, though, fans will vote more strongly with their feet and clubs like Arsenal will have to decide what to do about ticket prices."

The Manchester side have not won a league game at Arsenal in 27 attempts and will attempt to claim three points for the first time since 1975.